To meet the other, all the way to their land
Mission testimony
« It is not enough to know where migrants come from; one must see and feel the land they are leaving.»
The Zaidín Sociocultural Center is a place of fellowship located in Granada, Andalusia (Spain). This center is a non-profit organization with several missions: welcoming people who have experienced migration, and fostering the personal and community development of the neighborhood through socio-educational programs.
Here, people experience welcoming, listening, academic support, and building fraternal bonds among residents of all backgrounds.
Several Little Sisters of the Assumption serve at this center, where people journey together in faith groups; particular attention is given to families affected by exile, hardship, or isolation.
A journey to accompany and understand
Alicia Reina, a volunteer at the Socio-Cultural Center and a member of the Little Sisters’ faith group, traveled to Senegal with her family from March 6 to 13, 2025.
She accompanied her friend Mamadou, a Senegalese immigrant living in Granada, who was returning to his hometown of Diol to meet his newborn child.
Alicia witnessed the hardships of the migration journey, Mamadou’s efforts to build a life for himself in Spain, and the realities of life in his country: poverty, corruption, and a lack of essential services, but also the immense dignity and solidarity that prevail among the inhabitants.
On the roads of Senegal
During this trip, they visited Dakar, Saint-Louis, and several villages, discovering local customs, social contrasts, and vestiges of colonialism.
Alicia experienced this trip as a true gift and understood that:
To fully grasp the tragedy of migration, it is not enough to know where migrants come from; one must see and feel the land they are leaving.
An experience related to the mission of the Little Sisters
This exchange resonates with the core of our charism:
“Living with and among families,” particularly those facing migration, disruption, uncertainty, or precarious situations.
In the regions where we are sent, we seek to:
- to listen to what people are experiencing,
- to walk alongside them,
- to support and assist families,
- to restore confidence and dignity to those who are suffering.
Alicia and Mamadou’s journey reminds us that migration is not just a geographical movement. It is a profoundly human story, made up of suffering but also of connections, hope, and brotherhood.
Learn more:
👉 Discover the Zaidín Socio-cultural Centre, a place of solidarity, hospitality and fraternity in everyday life.